By Rasheeda Hamidu
The Marine Conservation Institute announced on Monday that marine protected areas surpassed 10% of global ocean coverage worldwide through expanded conservation measures aimed at protecting biodiversity and strengthening climate resilience.
The update was released on World Oceans Day through the Marine Protection Atlas, a global database managed by the Marine Conservation Institute that tracks marine conservation progress across countries and regions.
President of the Marine Conservation Institute, Lance Morgan, said the achievement reflected growing international recognition of the need to safeguard marine ecosystems from biodiversity loss and climate pressures.
Morgan stated that “protecting at least 30% of the ocean by 2030 is essential to maintaining biodiversity, food security and climate stability”.
NatureNews notes that oceans absorb about 30% of global carbon dioxide emissions and play a critical role in regulating climate systems, protecting coastal communities and sustaining fisheries.
According to the Marine Protection Atlas, more than 10% of the world’s oceans are now covered by marine protected areas following new conservation designations introduced by several countries in 2025 and 2026.
The institute reported that large marine conservation zones established in regions including the Pacific and Southern oceans contributed significantly to the increase in protected coverage.
Director of the Marine Protection Atlas, Janna Nichols, explained that stronger enforcement and long-term financing remained necessary to ensure marine protected areas deliver measurable ecological benefits.
Nichols stated that “designation alone is not enough because effective management and enforcement are critical for marine protection to succeed”.
According to the Marine Conservation Institute, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted under the Convention on Biological Diversity calls for protecting 30% of the world’s land and oceans by 2030.
The institute further reported that many marine ecosystems continue to face pressure from overfishing, pollution, habitat destruction and warming ocean temperatures linked to climate change.
NatureNews tracks ocean conservation, marine biodiversity protection and climate adaptation initiatives as part of its coverage of environmental sustainability and ecosystem resilience across Africa and the world.